Kingman, Arizona


Kingman is a city in and the county seat of Mohave County, Arizona, United States. It is named after Lewis Kingman, an engineer for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. The population was 32,693 at the 2020 census.
WWW cityofkingman.govR/ kingman

History

Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale, a U.S. Navy officer in the service of the Army Corps of Topographical Engineers, was ordered by the U.S. War Department to build a federal wagon road across the 35th parallel. His secondary orders were to test the feasibility of the use of camels as pack animals in the Southwestern desert. Beale traveled through the present-day Kingman in 1857 surveying the road and in 1859 to build the road. Beale's Wagon Road became part of U.S. Route 66 and later Interstate 40. Remnants of the wagon road can still be seen in White Cliffs Canyon in Kingman.
Kingman was founded in 1882 before statehood, in Arizona Territory. Situated in the Hualapai Valley between the Cerbat and Hualapai mountain ranges, Kingman had its modest beginnings as a simple railroad siding near Beale Springs. Civil engineer Lewis Kingman supervised the building of the railroad from Winslow to Beale Springs. This spring had been used by Native Americans living in the area for centuries.
The Mohave County seat was originally located in Mohave City from 1864 to 1867. In 1865, the portion of Arizona Territory west of the Colorado River was transferred to Nevada after Nevada's statehood, and became part of Lincoln County, now Clark County, Nevada. The remaining territory of Pah-Ute County became part of Mohave County. Its seat was moved to Hardyville in 1867. The county seat transferred to the mining town of Cerbat in 1873, then to Mineral Park near Chloride. After some time, the county seat and all instruments were permanently moved to Kingman in 1887.
During World War II, Kingman was the site of a U.S. Army Air Force airfield. The Kingman Army Airfield was founded at the beginning of the war as an aerial gunnery training base. It became one of the USAAF's largest, training some 35,000 soldiers and airmen. The airfield and Kingman played a significant role in this important era of America's history. Following the war, the Kingman Airfield was one of the largest reclamation sites for obsolete military aircraft.
Postwar, Kingman experienced growth as several major employers moved into the vicinity. In 1953, Kingman was used to detain those men accused of practicing polygamy in the Short Creek raid, which was at the time one of the largest arrests in American history. In 1955, Ford Motor Company established a proving ground in nearby Yucca at the former Yucca Army Airfield. Several major new neighborhoods in Kingman were developed to house the skilled workers and professionals employed at the proving ground. Likewise, the development of the Mineral Park mine near adjacent Chloride, and construction of the Mohave Generating Station in nearby Laughlin, Nevada, in 1971 contributed to Kingman's population growth. Also, the location of a General Cable plant at the Kingman Airport Industrial Park provided steady employment.

Kingman explosion

The Kingman Explosion, also known as the Doxol Disaster or Kingman BLEVE, was a catastrophic boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion that occurred on July 5, 1973, during a propane transfer from a Doxol railroad car to a storage tank on the Getz rail siding near Andy Devine Avenue/Route 66.
Firefighters Memorial Park in Kingman is dedicated to the 11 firefighters who died in the blaze.

1980s and on

The 1915-built Mohave County Courthouse and 1909-built Jail were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The downtown and other areas of Kingman were evaluated for historic resources in a 1985 study, the Kingman Multiple Resources Area study. The study identified 63 historic resources in Kingman and led to many of them being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The county courthouse and jail, a 1928-built locomotive, a World War II gunnery school radio tower, and about 50 various houses and other buildings in Kingman are listed on the National Register, comprising the majority of National Register listings in Mohave County.

Geography

Kingman is in central Mohave County, along Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 93. The city is served by three exits on I-40, which leads east to Flagstaff and southwest to Needles, California. US-93 leads northwest to Las Vegas and southeast to Wickenburg, from Phoenix. US 93 is planned to be replaced by Interstate 11 once built to interstate highway standards. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Kingman has a total area of, all land.

Climate

Kingman sits on the eastern edge of the Mojave Desert, but it is located in a cold desert climate due to its plateau location. Kingman's higher elevation and location between the Colorado Plateau and the Lower Colorado River Valley keeps summer high temperatures away from the extremes experienced by Phoenix and the Colorado River Valley. The higher elevation also contributes to winter cold and occasional snowfall. Summer daytime highs reach above frequently, but rarely exceed. Summertime lows usually remain between. Winter highs are generally mild, ranging from around, but winter nighttime lows often fall to freezing, with significantly lower temperatures possible, and occasional snow.
The record low temperature in Kingman was set on January 9, 1937, at, and the record high temperature occurred on July 15, 2023, at. The wettest year was 1919 with and the driest year was 1947 with. The most rainfall in one month was in September 1939. The most rainfall in 24 hours was on November 28, 1919. The snowiest year was 1949 with. The most snowfall in one month was in December 1932. On December 31, 2014, and January 1, 2015, Kingman received of snow. The storm was so significant that it was a contributing factor in the closure of Interstate 40 at the US 93 Junction for 24 hours.

Demographics

Race % 2010% 2000Pop 2010Pop 2000
White alone 75.2%81.3%85.3%24,58522,80617,119
Black alone 1.2%1%0.5%397271109
American Indian alone 1.4%1.4%1.6%463402329
Asian alone 2.1%1.6%1.4%674452284
Pacific Islander alone 0.2%0.3%0.1%808527
Other race alone 0.4%0%0.1%1411417
Multiracial 5%1.9%1.6%1,639535328
Hispanic/Latino 14.4%12.5%9.2%4,7103,5031,856

2022 American Community Survey

American Community Survey estimates, there were people and households. The population density was. There were housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 85.2% White, 2.9% some other race, 2.0% Black or African American, 1.6% Asian, and 1.0% Native American or Alaskan Native, with 7.4% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 16.6% of the population.
Of the households, 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% had seniors 65 years or older living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 7.8% were couples cohabitating, 20.3% had a male householder with no partner present, and 27.9% had a female householder with no partner present. The median household size was and the median family size was.
The age distribution was 21.1% under 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was years. For every 100 females, there were males.
The median income for a household was $, with family households having a median income of $ and non-family households $. The per capita income was $. Out of the people with a determined poverty status, 13.4% were below the poverty line. Further, 18.7% of minors and 9.4% of seniors were below the poverty line.
In the survey, residents self-identified with various ethnic ancestries. People of German descent made up 17.8% of the population of the town, followed by English at 13.3%, Irish at 10.5%, American at 5.2%, Italian at 4.9%, French at 3.5%, Polish at 2.5%, Norwegian at 2.4%, Dutch at 1.8%, Scottish at 1.7%, Swedish at 1.2%, Russian at 1.0%, Scotch-Irish at 1.0%, Welsh at 0.9%, Portuguese at 0.6%, French Canadian at 0.5%, and Hungarian at 0.5%.

2020 census

At the 2020 census, there were 32,689 people. The most reported ancestries were English, German, Irish, Mexican, Italian, and Scottish.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 28,068 people.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 20,069 people, 7,854 households and 5,427 families residing in the city. The population density was. There were 8,604 housing units at an average density of. The racial make-up of the city was 88.0% White, <0.1% Black or African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.4% from other races and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race comprised 12.2% of the population.
There were 7,854 households, of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.94.
25.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64 and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.
The median household income was $34,086 and the median family income was $41,327. Males had a median income of $32,036 and females $21,134. The per capita income was $17,181. About 8.2% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The city operates under the council-manager form of government. The city council, which is the policymaking and legitimate authority, consists of a mayor, vice-mayor, a five-member council and the city manager. The mayor is Ken Watkins and the vice-mayor seat is vacant. The city council consists of five elected officials – councilmembers SueAnn Mello, Jamie Scott Stehly, Deana Nelson, Cherish Sammeli and Keith Walker. The city manager is Ron Foggin. The city attorney is Carl Cooper.
It is in Arizona's 9th congressional district, represented by Republican Paul Gosar. In the Arizona State Legislature, Kingman is in Arizona's 30th legislative district.
The city government also includes boards and commissions that assist the council in decision making. They are the:
  • Clean City Commission
  • Economic Development & Marketing Commission
  • Golf Course Advisory Commission
  • Historical Preservation Commission
  • Municipal Utilities Commission
  • Parks and Recreations Commission
  • Planning and Zoning Commission
  • Transit Advisory Commission
  • Tourism Development Commission
  • Youth Advisory Commission
  • Tri-City Council
Arizona State Prison – Kingman, a privately run prison of the Arizona Department of Corrections, is located in unincorporated Mohave County near Kingman.
The United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management has a field office located in Kingman.
Mohave County Superior Court is located in Kingman.
Mohave County Administration offices are located in Kingman.
The Mohave County Fairgrounds are located in Kingman.

Economy

Top employers

According to Kingman's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
#Employer# of Employees
1Kingman Regional Medical Center1,800
2Mohave County1,271
3Kingman Unified School District740
4Mohave Community College700
5American Woodmark689
6Walmart440
7City of Kingman374
8Laron Inc187
9The Home Depot135
10Indiana Western Express, Inc.119

Infrastructure

Transportation

Major highways

Airport

The Kingman Airport is located northeast of Kingman on Arizona State Route 66. The airport was originally built as Kingman Army Air Field during World War II and was the location of the Kingman Aerial Gunnery School. The airport was turned over to Mohave County for civilian use in 1949. There are air ambulance and air charter services, but no commercial flights. The closest commercial airport is Harry Reid International Airport in Paradise, Nevada, approximately northwest of Kingman. The Kingman airport now primarily exists as a location for long-term aircraft storage due to its suitable large ramp space and a long, decommissioned runway. Kingman is a non-towered airport.

Rail

Located downtown, the Kingman station has daily services on Amtrak's Amtrak Southwest Chief between Los Angeles and Chicago. The historically significant station is constructed in Mission Revival style. Prior to the establishment of Amtrak in 1971, the building had fallen into disrepair. A total renovation was completed in 2010. The station houses a model-railroad museum. Amtrak Thruway offers connecting service to Las Vegas.
Kingman is located on the Southern Transcon route of the BNSF Railway which is the main transcontinental route between Los Angeles and Chicago, which carries approximately 100 to 150 freight trains per day.
In August 2012, the Kingman Terminal Railroad opened at the Kingman Airport Authority and Industrial Park. The KGTR is a short line railroad owned by Patriot Rail. Patriot Rail owns and operates 13 railroads in 13 states across the U.S. The KGTR interchanges with BNSF and delivers to businesses at the industrial park.

Buses and shuttles

The City of Kingman operates Kingman Area Regional Transit. Kingman is served by the intercity bus companies Greyhound and TUFESA. FlixBus boards from a stop at 915 W Beale St. Tri-State Shuttle connects Kingman with Harry Reid International Airport in Paradise.
Amtrak Thruway is Kingman station bus service that travels to Las Vegas's stations at South Strip Transit Terminal, Airport Terminal One and Las Vegas downtown, called the Amtrak Kingman-Las Vegas Thruway Motorcoach, a trip. There is also a Laughlin to Kingman Amtrak Station at the Tropicana Laughlin in Laughlin, Nevada, a trip.

Water

The water system uses groundwater. The same aquifer serving the city is used by the industrial agriculture in the surrounding desert.

Education

Kingman has one public school district, one charter school district and one Christian school.

Public schools

Kingman Unified School District consists of 12 schools, ranging from Kindergarten to high school.
Elementary schools
Middle schools
  • Golden Valley Middle School
  • Kingman Middle School
  • White Cliffs Middle School
  • Kingman Academy of Learning Middle School
High schools
K–12
  • Mt. Tipton School, a KUSD K–12 school, is located in Dolan Springs, approximately northwest of Kingman.

Other schools

  • The Kingman Academy of Learning, a charter school, is split into four schools: a primary, intermediate, middle, and high school.
  • The Emmanuel Christian Academy teaches students from kindergarten to 8th grade.
  • Arizona Virtual Academy is a Blended learning center.

Post-secondary education

Notable people

In popular culture

Off screen

Onscreen

Kingman has been used as a filming location for several movies and television shows.

In films

In television

  • In "Otis", an episode from the television series Prison Break, LJ Burrows is sent to an adult facility in Kingman, Arizona. In a subsequent episode, "Buried", LJ is released from the aforementioned facility.
  • In "Native Tongue", an episode from the television series Medium, Alison has a dream about a man being threatened to be burned alive unless he revels the whereabouts of something the killer wants. The man tells the killer that 'it' is near Kingman, where his partner lives. As the story progresses, it is discovered that the man is associated with the Navajo Reservation located 20 E of Kingman.
  • In the HBO series The Sopranos, when Tony Soprano was shot at the beginning of season 6, he fell into a coma and believed he was involved in a case of mistaken identity with Kevin Finnerty who lived in Kingman.
  • In "The Locomotion Interruption," the season 8 premiere of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon Cooper finds his belongings stolen at Kingman train station.
  • In episode 2 of the Showtime political satire documentary Who Is America?, residents of the town are shown making anti-Muslim and anti-black statements when told by a disguised Sacha Baron Cohen that a super mosque would be built in Kingman.

In literature and publications

  • The town is mentioned in Barbara Kingsolver's novel Pigs in Heaven.
  • In the post-apocalyptic novel Warday, Kingman is the "point of entry" to California; the Golden State, spared from the nuclear attacks that hit much of the rest of the country, is strictly guarded by troops, and "illegals" are jailed.

In music

Points of interest

  • Hualapai Mountain Recreation Area offering hiking, camping and day use, to the southeast of downtown.
  • The Mohave Museum of History and Arts in Kingman, Arizona is a private, not-for-profit organization, which was founded in 1961. It focuses on the preservation of the heritage of Northwestern Arizona and of the presentation of history and arts to the public. Located at 400 W. Beale St. In downtown Kingman.
  • Santa Fe 3759 Historic locomotive on display located in historic downtown Kingman between First, and Beale St. at Locomotive Park.
  • White Cliffs Trail System. The White Cliffs Trail System contains 9.7 miles of hand constructed trails, providing hikers and bikers access to trails of varying difficulties. The trail system not only allows hikers and bikers a thrilling and scenic venture into the desert valleys, hillsides, and tops of mesas, but provides a link from Downtown to Uptown Kingman. The system also features historic significance to the area and western culture.
  • Historic Downtown Kingman. Featuring restaurants, bars, shops, and parks.
  • Kingman Powerhouse Desert Power & Water Co. Electric Power Plant. Home of the Kingman Tourism Office and Visitor Center, the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona and the "Arizona Route 66 Museum"The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 4, 1986
  • Cerbat Cliffs Golf Course, situated in a convenient location in the middle of town, off of I-40 at Stockton Hill Rd.
  • Oatman, a "ghost town" tourist attraction southwest of Kingman
  • Lake Mead National Recreation Area, A lake offering recreational water activities such as boating, fishing, and swimming. West of Kingman